Text: "After leaving the Bundu bush the girl if she likes can attain distinction in the higher degrees of Bunduism, of which there are three grades:- Digba, the lowest or first degree, Normeh, the Bundu Devil or second degree, and Soweh, the head woman, the third degree. the Bundu devil is in the second degree of the medicine. If the girl wishes, she can simply become a Digba; she then has the great privilege of holding the mat before the devil at any function. She must not assume too much familiarity; she must remain medicinally at a respectful distance, the mat being between her and the devil." (p. 141-2)

This is apparently Mende, as the text on it refers to the "Mendi." The description of the three levels of "Bundu" (Bondo or more properly Sande for the Mende) parallels the structure described in recent publications on the Mende, and differs somewhat from structure described for the Southern Bullom in the early 20th century. His use of the term "Bundu," however, suggests the Southern Bullom. Here Alldridge calls the masked dancer "Normeh," a name that is seen in no other literature. I have suggested this is a typographical error in the printing and that the original may be "Norweh," which would correspond to the name given in several other sources (Lamp 1985). This needs to be investigated in Alldridge's original manuscripts and papers (are these at Brighton?). If I am wrong, then someone needs to given explanation of this word.

Fred Lamp, (5/19/2006): The original photo is in the Bern History Museum.

Jim Ross, (6/30/2011):

This photograph appears from the Fred Lamp files on the Yale van Rijn website, 0114315~01.

Jim Ross, (11/1/2012):

This image appears in Bundu. Sowei Headpieces of the Sande Society of West Africa. The Imperato Family Collection by Gavin H. Imperato and Pascal James Imperato (2012) 29, fig 9 with the following caption: "An ndoli jowei accompanied by Sande Society officials (ligbeisia),one of whom is holding a mat used to periodically camouflage the masked dancer, Sierra Leone (Thomas J. Alldridge, 1901, opposite page 142).